You’re staring at that $2.2 million price tag for the Kosatka and thinking, "How the hell am I supposed to afford this without a crew?" Honestly, I get it. The Los Santos economy is basically designed to eat your wallet alive if you're playing by yourself. But here’s the thing: making money in GTA V Online solo in 2026 isn't actually about the "big" grind anymore. It’s about stacking.
Most people make the mistake of picking one thing—like Cayo Perico—and running it until their brains melt. Don’t do that. Rockstar has spent the last two years tweaking cooldowns and payouts to specifically punish people who only do one thing. If you want to actually see your Maze Bank balance hit eight figures while playing alone, you need a rotation.
The "Zero to Hero" path: Getting your first million
If you're starting from scratch or coming back after a long break, ignore the fancy offices for a second. Your first stop is the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid.
Why? Because it costs exactly zero dollars to start. You just wait for a call from Vincent, head over to the Vespucci PD, and start the setups. It’s basically a mini-heist you can do entirely solo. You’ll walk away with a flat $500,000 for about 45 to 60 minutes of work. Do that twice. Now you have a million.
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Next, you need to get the Acid Lab. Run the "First Dose" missions (look for the 'R' on the map at Liquor Ace). Once you finish all six, you get the Brickade 6x6 for free. You'll still need to pay around $750,000 to actually install the lab equipment inside, but it’s the single best solo business in the game right now.
Pro Tip: Don't forget to do 10 "Fooligan Jobs" by calling Dax. It unlocks the equipment upgrade for the Acid Lab, which nearly doubles your production speed. Without it, the business is kinda "meh." With it? It's a money printer.
Why Cayo Perico is still king (but with a catch)
You’ve heard the rumors that Cayo Perico was "nerfed." It was. The cooldown for solo players is now three in-game days (about 2 hours and 24 minutes). If you trigger it too fast, your chances of getting the high-value Pink Diamond plummet, and you’ll get stuck with the Sinsimito Tequila over and over.
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But even with the nerfs, how to make money in GTA V Online solo still starts and ends with El Rubio’s island. A successful solo run with the Longfin approach usually nets you between $1M and $1.4M.
The secret to 2026 Cayo is the "Secondary Loot" priority. Since you’re solo, you can’t get into the gold storages in the compound. Don’t waste time trying. Instead, hit the North Dock or the Main Dock first. Grab Cocaine (highest value) or Weed. Once your bag is full, then go to the compound. It keeps the elite challenge within reach and maximizes your per-hour take.
The "Lazy" Millionaire: Passive income is your best friend
If you are actively grinding missions every second you’re online, you’re doing it wrong. You need "background noise" cash.
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- The Nightclub: This is the ultimate end-game solo goal. It gathers stock from your other businesses (Bunker, Cargo, Coke, Meth, Cash) without you doing anything.
- The Agency Safe: If you complete 201 Security Contracts, your wall safe will generate $20,000 every 48 minutes. It sounds small, but it adds up to millions over a month of playing.
- The Salvage Yard: This was a sleeper hit from the 2024/2025 updates. Buying the Tow Truck upgrade lets you bring in cars for "salvage." It takes five minutes and keeps your safe income at a steady $24,000 per in-game day.
A daily solo routine that actually works
Don't just wander around. If you have two hours to play, here is exactly how you should spend them to maximize profit:
- Minute 0-5: Spawn in your Arcade or Nightclub. Check your safes and empty them.
- Minute 5-15: Do a Tow Truck mission at the Salvage Yard and a Nightclub Management mission (toss out a troublemaker) to keep popularity at 100%. This guarantees $74,000 in your safes in 48 minutes.
- Minute 15-75: Run a Cayo Perico or the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid.
- Minute 75-90: Sell your Acid Lab stock. It’s always one vehicle, and the missions are usually just "drop the package in a bike's trunk" or "outrun a few cops." Easy $350k.
- Minute 90-120: Check the Weekly Bonuses. Rockstar usually doubles the pay on specific businesses. If it's 2x Bunker week, focus there. If it's 2x Dr. Dre Contract, go to the Agency.
Common traps to avoid
Stop buying supercars. Seriously. A $3 million Pegassi Ignus won't help you make a single dime. Your first "big" vehicle purchase should always be the Sparrow helicopter (stored inside the Kosatka) or the Oppressor MK II. They are tools, not toys. They cut your travel time by 70%, which effectively increases your hourly pay.
Also, avoid the Document Forgery business. It’s garbage. The payout is terrible, and the sell missions are a nightmare. Stick to the "Big Three" of MC businesses: Cocaine, Meth, and Counterfeit Cash. Even then, only buy them so your Nightclub technicians have something to source. Running them as standalone businesses solo is a recipe for a headache because of the "three-post-op-van" sell missions.
Final Actionable Steps
To get your solo empire off the ground today, follow this order:
- Complete the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid (Vincent) to get $500k.
- Buy the Acid Lab equipment and upgrade it via Dax's missions.
- Save $2.2M for the Kosatka to unlock Cayo Perico.
- Invest in an Agency for the Dr. Dre contract (guaranteed $1M per run).
- Only buy the Nightclub once you own at least three other businesses.
The key is consistency. Set your spawn point to your latest business, keep your safes empty, and never let your Acid Lab sit at 100% stock. Stay in "Invite Only" sessions to avoid griefers—Rockstar finally allowed business sales in private lobbies, so there's no reason to risk your hard-earned cargo in a public warzone anymore.